Earth working implements which are attached to the lift arms of a common skid steer loader may be conveniently rotated about a lateral axis through extension or retraction of the skid steer's bucket rams. Similarly, such an implement may be conveniently rotated about a vertical axis through counter-rotation of the left and right wheels of the skid steer. Since the lift arms of a common skid steer loader move in unison, such an implement may not be conveniently rotated about a longitudinal axis. Similarly, implements attached to the boom arm of a common excavator or tractor backhoe may be rotated about a vertical axis through actuation of boom side swing rams; and such implements may be rotated about a lateral axis through actuation of the bucket ram of the boom arm. As with implements attached to the lift arms of a loader tractor or skid steer loader, implements attached to the boom arm of an excavator or backhoe tractors may not be conveniently rotated about a longitudinal axis.
Thus, where an hydraulic motor driven earth compacting machine is attached as an auxiliary implement to the boom arm of an excavator or backhoe tractor, or to the lift arms of a front loader tractor or skid steer, such implement may not be conveniently rotated about its longitudinal axis.
Circumstances commonly arise where it is desireable to rotate such an earth compacting implement, so attached to a boom arm or lift arms, about its longitudinal axis. For example, where the ground surface to be compacted laterally slopes with respect to the position of the excavator, loader tractor or skid steer, rotation of the earth compacting implement about a longitudinal axis is desirable. In absence of a capability of rotating the compactor implement about its longitudinal axis, such laterally sloped ground surfaces may be compacted only by repositioning the excavator, loader tractor or skid steer, as the case may be, so that manipulation of bucket rams may orient the compaction plate of the compactor with the slope of the ground to be compacted. Such repositioning of the excavator, loader tractor, or skid steer is undesirable because repositioning wastes valuable time, and maneuvering room allowing machinery repositioning is not always available.
The instant inventive earth compacting machine solves the above noted drawbacks and deficiencies by providing an hydraulic motor driven earth compacting machine attachable as an auxiliary implement to the boom arm of an excavator or backhoe tractor, or to the lift arms of a front loader tractor or skid steer tractor, such compactor having means for selective rotating of its compactor plate about a longitudinal axis.